As U.S. health officials recommend flu shots and frequent hand washing for protection during this season's influenza outbreak, dietitians point to another significant defense weapon: healthy foods, according to a HealthDay report.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics said that immune-boosting foods can improve your ability to ward off the flu and other health problems.
However, it is important to remember that no food can be a foolproof shield for infection. A healthy immune system makes you better prepared for the flu season but it can't fight off every germ.
Whether they're canned, frozen or fresh, adding more fruits and vegetables into your diet is a way to ensure you are getting the most nutrients and vitamins from your foods, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises. Selecting foods from all of the food groups will also help you to get protein, calcium and fiber in your diet.
Being picked on by your brother or sister may seem like a normal part of growing up, but for some kids the bullying may be a source of depression and anxiety, a new study suggests.
Being picked on by your brother or sister may seem like a normal part of growing up, but for some kids the bullying may be a source of depression and anxiety, a new study suggests.
In a new finding sure to be shared with some skeptical parents, it seems that the brains of video game enthusiasts make better and faster use of visual input.
In a new finding sure to be shared with some skeptical parents, it seems that the brains of video game enthusiasts make better and faster use of visual input.
U.S. veterans with Gulf War illness complain of different types of symptoms, and researchers now think they know why: There may be two distinct forms of the illness.
U.S. veterans with Gulf War illness complain of different types of symptoms, and researchers now think they know why: There may be two distinct forms of the illness, depending on which areas of the brain have atrophied.
Fewer than 25 percent of new doctors in the United States go into primary care, and only about 5 percent open offices in rural areas, according to a new study.
Fewer than 25 percent of new doctors in the United States go into primary care, and only about 5 percent open offices in rural areas, according to a new study.
Friday, June 14 2013 10:38 PM EDT2013-06-15 02:38:04 GMT
It used to be the battle of the sexes; man versus woman. But, over the years, a new sort of competition has emerged. This new match pits mom versus mom.
It used to be the battle of the sexes; man versus woman. But, over the years, a new sort of competition has emerged. This new match pits mom versus mom.
Friday, June 14 2013 5:53 PM EDT2013-06-14 21:53:56 GMT
This is the best Father's Day gift that a dad could get: the gift of life. A young father from Queens needed a kidney, and his 55-year-old father donated his.
This is the best Father's Day gift that a dad could get: the gift of life. A young father from Queens needed a kidney, and his 55-year-old father donated his.
Anyone who has ever been a volunteer knows that it feels good to help others, but researchers have found a less obvious benefit: volunteering can help reduce older adults' risk of high blood pressure.
Anyone who has ever been a volunteer knows that it feels good to help others, but researchers have found a less obvious benefit: volunteering can help reduce older adults' risk of high blood pressure.
